The Obama family paid for their own toilet paper, but that’s not totally unusual
When you think about the daily life of the First Family, you probably have a certain aesthetic in mind. Maids, nannies, assistants, and Secret Service, right? After all, the person responsible for the safety and welfare of our country has a lot on their mind. Certainly they can’t be expected to worry about a shopping list and grocery budget as well. Well, actually, they can. During his last interview on 60 Minutes Sunday, Obama revealed that the First Family has been handling their own household expenses during their eight years in the White House. Surprisingly enough, that’s not as unusual as you might imagine.
The Obama family (and indeed all presidents past) have been footing the bill for all the household needs this entire time. From toilet paper to what’s served at family dinners (and everything in between), the president has to pay for groceries and everything else they consume in the White House.
Admittedly, most people don’t have a personal chef expertly preparing all their meals (and if you do, invite us over for dinner), but beyond that the similarities are quite remarkable. While he can’t be expected to run out for a carton of milk in the morning, the President is presented with a bill at the end of the month covering all household incidentals. If you think about it, it sort of makes sense — tax money shouldn’t be used to buy toiletries for the First Family (even if we wouldn’t mind lending Malia our mascara).
Luckily for them though, this budget doesn’t include state events — even the leader of the country doesn’t want to get stuck with the bill for a fancy party with over 140 guests chowing down on luxury items. But all other items are paid for in full by the President and his family —a nice reminder that even the leader of our country has to think about things like toothpaste and toilet paper (and keeping the family on a budget).
